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Carcel: A Danish Clothing Label Made by Women in Prison

Carcel is a clothing label that believes in second chances. Launched in Copenhagen this past April, the nascent firm seeks to "break the spiral of poverty" by employing female prisoners in countries such as Peru and providing them with a living wage. Most women in the developing world are behind bars for nonviolent, poverty-related offenses, according to Veronica D'Souza, who founded the brand after visiting a work program for inmates in Kenya a few years ago. Instead of going toe to toe with hardened criminals, D'Souza found herself commiserating with ordinary women of limited means and opportunity. Time was just about the only thing on their side. "Every day, the women were sitting eight hours and knitting and sewing," D'Souza said. "But without access to good materials, designs and a market, they were unable to sell their products and made no money. It was a factory in full production but with a useless output."

SECOND CHANCE

Through a Kickstarter campaign, Carcel raised nearly $50,000 to finance new knitting machines for a women’s prison in Cusco, where its debut collection is being produced.

“In Peru, the number of women in prison has doubled the past 15 years,” D’Souza said. “The majority are sentenced for drug-trafficking, and go under the name of ‘drug mules.’ The drug cartels target girls from poor backgrounds, often the young, beautiful and pregnant girls, because they have better chances of getting through customs. These girls often get sentences of eight to 15 years behind bars.”

“Poverty is the main cause of female incarceration all over the world,” D’Souza said.

“Peru has a long tradition for alpaca and knitwear; we use the fantastic expertise of these women and turn otherwise wasted time into skills and paid jobs so women in prison can support themselves and their children,” D’Souza said. “This means that they can cover their basic living costs, send their children to school, save up for a crime-free beginning, and ultimately break the spiral of poverty.”

For its encore, Carcel will be heading to India to make its next collection, this time from 100 percent organic silk.

“Poverty is the main cause of female incarceration all over the world,” D’Souza said. “Peru is just the beginning. With your help, we can go global.”